The huge rescue cost of the "Long Give" that stranded the Suez Canal should be shared by the cargo owners?

The huge rescue cost of the "Long Give" that stranded the Suez Canal should be shared by the cargo owners?
2021-04-01 09:34
On the evening of March 29, the Suez Canal Authority issued an announcement stating that the freighter "Long Give" was fully restored to its normal course. Evergreen Shipping, the operator of the "Long Give", also stated on its official website that the "Long Give" has successfully escaped and the Suez Canal has resumed normal traffic. On March 30, a container ship successfully passed the Suez Canal.

The Egyptian side has taken out a huge bill to ask the shipowner to pay, and the shipowner has asked the rescue company to get out of the grounded state. The huge rescue fee is to prevent the joint loss of the hull and the cargo. It does not rule out that the shipowner will propose general average. Share among cargo owners. This means that the cargo owners on the "Long Give" will have to share a huge amount of expenses. The rescue cost is said to be as high as 300 million U.S. dollars.

There is a big controversy as to whether the cargo owner should bear the general average. Many forwarders and freight forwarders oppose that there is no evidence that the ship and the cargo are in common danger. (Search Yuanbang Insurance Online to insure cargo transportation insurance)

Although the shipper may object, usually their defense will not be established, because even if the shipowner’s driving management behavior caused grounding, or touch accidents and collision accidents, in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of various countries, the shipowner’s behavior is exempt from the shipper’s liability. of. Therefore, "the cargo owner should not be able to escape the general average and the cost-sharing of the rescued." (Search Yuanbang Insurance Online to insure cargo transportation insurance) The specific amount of general average will be clarified in the long adjustment.

What is even more troublesome for cargo owners is that this lawsuit may be very long, and their goods will be seized on the ship, unless a general average guarantee or deposit is issued to pick up the goods.

If the cargo owner has insured cargo transportation insurance, the insurance company will issue a letter of guarantee, and the cargo owner does not need to pay the cash guarantee; if the cargo transportation insurance is not insured, the pressure of huge compensation may overwhelm some cargo owners. (Search for Yuanbang Insurance to view general average claim guidelines online)

"This incident once again sounded the alarm to remind shippers and freight forwarders that ocean shipping is risky after all, and appropriate insurance should be purchased for the goods."